Kinship Care Resources for DuPage County and the AgeGuide Region of Illinois

Supporting grandparents raising grandchildren

SPEAKER_00 2:27

What happens when the administrative weight of kinship care, the legal fees, the light bills, the school supplies start to outweigh the emotional bandwidth you have left. Today we aren't just talking about the heart. We're auditing the safety net infrastructure for our mission. We're joined by Kristen Roscoff from the DuPage County Kinship Family Program. To move from feeling like you're on a deserted island to knowing where the supply ships are. It's time to stop carrying the weight of the system alone and start using the tangible tools available to the kinship boardroom. If you or someone you know is living in DuPage County or the Age Guide region, this episode is especially for you. Welcome to Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, Nurturing Through Adversity. In this podcast, we will delve deep into the challenges and triumphs of grandparents raising grandchildren. As we navigate the complexities of legal, financial, and emotional support, I invite you to join us on a journey of exploring thoughts, feelings, and beliefs surrounding this growing segment of our society. Drawing from real stories and expert advice, we will explore the nuances of child rearing for children who have experienced trauma and offer valuable resources to guide you through the intricate journey of kinship care. We'll discuss how we can change the course of history by rewriting our grandchildren's future all within a supportive community that understands the unique joys and struggles. This podcast was made especially for you. Welcome to a community where your voice is heard, your experiences are valued, and your journey is honored. I sat at my computer this morning looking at a list of services provided by programs like the one Kristen represents, rent assistance, school supplies, legal aid, and I was struck by a sobering realization. So many of us in the 2.7 million are carrying an immense administrative weight alone simply because we don't know these supply ships exist. I would be thrilled to know these services were available to me if I lived in DuPage County or the AgeGuide region, which serves over 945,000 people and 250 schools. So I hope all of you that are listening will pass this information on to others in that area. And if you live in an area where these services are not available to you, please let your representatives know that they are desperately needed. If the light bill is paid and legal custody is secure, we have more emotional bandwidth to actually parent. This conversation with Kristen changed how I view the invisible parts of our struggle and reminded me that being a leader means using every resource available to keep the household infrastructure solvent. Today we're going to be talking with Kristen Roscoff from DuPage County in Illinois. Welcome, Kristen, to the show. Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it, Laura. Kristen reached out to me a while ago because they wanted to get this wonderful information and program that they have for kinship caregivers out to more people in their community. You cover how many cities in DuPage County?

SPEAKER_01 6:29

DuPage County, gosh, it's um a really large area, populated area, about 920,000 people. So we cover DuPage County, but the services that we provide are part of a group that's an eight-county region throughout Illinois that includes a number of counties. So the programs I talk about will also apply to a number of other areas in Illinois.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

Those of yeah, you those of you that are listening, be aware that you all can find out more by reaching out to Kristen and her group there. How long ago was this program started in DuPage County?

SPEAKER_01 7:07

I've worked with DuPage County for 23 years, um, and it's been around a lot longer than I have. However, I would say that the state of Illinois is has been focusing on caregivers a lot more in the last handful of years. They're really recognizing what the needs of caregivers are, both kinship care family caregivers as well as caregivers of older adults. So there's been more of a focus on trying to identify these families.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

That's pretty progressive. Many states don't have anything like what you all offer kinship caregivers. Who's responsible for getting that going in

Illinois support for kinship care families

SPEAKER_00 7:45

your area?

SPEAKER_01 7:46

The state of Illinois provides funding down to the area agencies on aging, in which I believe there's 13 in the state of Illinois. So we're with AgeGuide, um, who's um part of McHenry County, Lake County, Kendall, Will, uh Grundy. So for any of those counties, you know, these services certainly apply. But the kinship care family program has been around for a number of years. It really um Age Guide, I think, has really upped its efforts in terms of getting the word out. However, I know we're not reaching all the caregivers. We're not reaching all of the kinship care families. And that's why, you know, podcasts like yours are so important in trying to get the word out that there are services available, there's supports available, that we do want to help.

SPEAKER_00 8:39

Yeah, that you must have had progressive council members that promoted kinship caregiving. How do you know the percentage of kinship caregivers in DuPage County?

SPEAKER_01 8:49

You know, that's what we're trying, that's a number we're trying to find out. There's not really real data that we have found that identifies all of these families. So we're trying to do the outreach that we can to identify these families. In fact, one of our big projects over the last number of years is reaching out to all of the schools in DuPage County, which there's about 250 schools. And we reach out to the school social workers and let them know there are these programs available. You know, please share them with your families that you know are in this situation. You know, it's like we're one of the best kept secrets, really.

SPEAKER_00 9:27

Yes. Absolutely. I know when I first became a kinship caregiver and I reached out in northern Montana where I lived, there was basically nothing like what you offer there for families. And that's why I gotten the podcast started because we do want to be able to reach people that need help. And many people listening know of many other families that do need that help. So anybody listening that can reach out and contact anyone that you know might be a source point to let people know about your program, please, please do that. So, how does it work? For kinship caregiver who's overwhelmed, what does that first phone call

Contacting us for support

SPEAKER_00 10:10

look like?

SPEAKER_01 10:10

Well, there's a number of ways that they can reach out to us. Um, you know, we have an intake line that answers phone calls Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 30. We also have um what is called a 211 information line. So it's 24 hours where people can reach out that way. But when we do our outreach to the schools and different organizations that may come across kinship care families, we do provide a direct contact to our staff that are working with kinship care families because we do understand that, you know, when you make a phone call and you have to press all these buttons and you have to navigate your way through multiple people to get who you need to talk to, that's overwhelming within itself. And we feel like that could be a reason some people don't reach out sometimes, right? They don't have time to deal with, you know, talking to five people to get to the right person. So we do have a direct um link that we provide when we do our outreach. So it's an email, you know, we ask people to email us, and then one of our staff that work directly with kinship care families will reach out to that person and talk to that person.

SPEAKER_00 11:21

So when you have a kinship caregiver that needs your help, things like rent, unpaid utilities, even athletic fees or counseling, you have one person that they can contact and that stays with them through that period until they feel like they've become stable.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

Right. Through that process of navigating resources, maybe accessing, you mentioned, you know, we do have some grant funds that can assist with various things like the utility bills or rent. We're very fortunate that we're provided a significant grant every year that can it fulfills what we call gap-filling services, right? Gap-filling needs. So gaps in in that process of of what they need assistance with. So we've assisted with a number of things. Um, and then also respite care because respite is so important for these family caregivers. Yes. You know, especially in the summer months when kids are out of school, you know, grandparents may still be working or even if they're not, you know, a break is needed for every caregiver out there, right? So we have funded um summer camps and, you know, things like that, both overnight and day camps. We've also funded school trips and school fees and things like that. So we're able to really, you know, help make at least a small impact um for people who are struggling. So gap filling covers a pretty broad umbrella of service. Yeah, it's a pretty broad area of the types of assistance. So we've done, you know, clothing assistance or school supplies or um athletic fees. Um we've we've purchased, you know, sometimes, well, a lot of times when people begin caring for their grandkids, it it can be unexpected. So they don't have things like beds or, you know, linens, clothes for them, different things that, you know, necessities. So we can help fill some of those needs as well.

SPEAKER_00 13:19

That's really great. So what about legal guardianship and legal fees are oftentimes a problem for our listeners. How does the program assist with legal fees or say process of obtaining custody for a grandparent?

SPEAKER_01 13:32

Sure. Um, age guide, um, you know, that's one of the other great access to resources that they provide. There is funding to assist with legal fees. Everything, of course, is limited. It may not cover everything. However, we also work closely with a group called Prairie State Legal Services that provides a lot of legal assistance. They're a funded partner of AgeGuide as well. So they're a great resource that we connect people with.

SPEAKER_00 13:59

That's great. Do you offer individual counseling and support groups, which are so important to grandparents raising grandchildren, to be able to talk to peers or or have counselors help them with neurodivergent kids or kids that have gone through trauma?

SPEAKER_01 14:13

Right. So we're part of this great network of resources. So although we don't directly offer the counseling, we work closely with Metropolitan Family Services, which provides counseling for the grandparents and also a really great support group for the grandparents where child care is provided during that time. But it's a an opportunity for grandparents to connect with each other. So it's good to know you're not alone out there, right? Yes. But they're a great partner of ours.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

So we work closely with them. That's fabulous. What about age distinctions? There are an age limit. Sometimes we have caregivers that are as young as 40 and as old as 80.

Grant options for grandparents

SPEAKER_01 14:57

Sure, sure. So there are different grants depending on that age. So for our grandparents who are age 55 and older, we have significant grant funding for that age group. We do have, it's a much smaller grant, but there are grant opportunities for our younger grandparents who are

Kate's mission with Coral Cove

SPEAKER_01 15:16

under the age of 55. The amount of assistance may look a little bit different. And unfortunately, that grant isn't as large. So it has the ability to become depleted sooner. But we do have in general the ability to help grandparents or other relatives raising children of all ages.

SPEAKER_00 15:36

Is there a website for them to inquire, or do you suggest people reaching out to you by phone? What's the best way for people to contact you?

SPEAKER_01 15:44

I think the best way for people to contact us regarding this program would be by email. We have multiple staff manning that email. That's the best way to reach out to be able to be connected to somebody. We do also have a website that provides information about the different services we offer that people can go to for information. But in terms of connecting with someone to work with, I would say the email is the best way to go. And what's that email? The email it's one word senior outreach at Dupage County. So D-U-P-A-G-E-C-O-U-N-T-Y dot G-O-V.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Okay. Great. We'll put that in the show notes, a link in the show notes so people can reach you easily that way. That's wonderful. Well, I have three standard questions that I'm asking all of those that I'm interviewing this year. I have one for you about systems. The legal and financial systems were often built for very traditional nuclear families. What do you see in your position as the biggest gap that kinship families fall through? And how does your program bridge

Housing challenges for kinship care families

SPEAKER_00 16:58

that divide?

SPEAKER_01 16:59

Yeah, so, you know, in terms of I I posed this sort of question to my staff who work directly with kinship care families in terms of what the biggest gap that they see. Of course, just financial in in general is a big thing because, you know, some of our grandparents are retired on a fixed income, but housing has been a really big issue. You know, we have grandparents who are living in a one-bedroom apartment that take in, you know, kids, and housing is very expensive in our area. The subsidized housing that's available for older adults is unfortunately only for older adults. It does it's not for older adults and their grandchildren. Our Section 8 program is overwhelmed and overloaded. The wait list is a number of years long. We need housing that is for these families.

SPEAKER_00 17:55

Isn't that interesting? I'm sure it's that way across the country, especially in larger populated areas like yours.

SPEAKER_01 18:04

Yes. And just the cost of housing is astronomical and and it's hard to even find places to rent these days. So housing is a really big issue.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

So do you find people are working for grants in that particular area of support in DuPage County?

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Like, well, housing has become a big topic in our area. Our county board has really started to focus on the housing needs of all the housing needs. Not just for, you know, our older adults or or our families, um, but also for staff that work for the county. Um, you know, housing again, costs are astronomical. So the state of Illinois has put together a work group in regards to ending homelessness. And because we we do have grandparent families that are homeless as well. And that should not happen, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:56

No, no, no.

SPEAKER_01 18:57

So it is being talked about. Action is being taken. And we see action being taken, but we know that takes a long time, right?

SPEAKER_00 19:04

Yeah. Well, actually, I'm working with another woman to get some of this in front of different members of legislature, and that's an important topic that I don't think anyone that I've interviewed yet has addressed. So I'm adding that to the list of, I mean, that's a priority, right? A lot of grandparents raising grandchildren lose their homes because it's more important to feed a child and lose a home, which is one of your significant assets if you own one. So housing, yes, is definitely important. Thanks for bringing that up. The policy question I have is if you were head of community services for the whole country, what is the one resource every grandparent raising grandchildren should have and why?

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Well, and and I hate to say the same thing, but affordable housing. Affordable housing. I really I'm very passionate about the housing and and homelessness. Yeah. There should be maybe special housing vouchers for grandparents or other relatives who take in children, right? There are special housing vouchers for our veterans.

SPEAKER_00 20:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

You're right. Can we do something for this group of caregivers, right?

SPEAKER_00 20:21

Wonderful point. Thank you. The taboo question that I want to ask you is that many care kinship caregivers are afraid to ask for help because they fear systems. I know they worry about children being taken away. In many cases, grandparents are raising children that they don't have through legal routes or procedures. What can you do to reassure families that your program is a system of support and not a threat?

Department's mission and support

SPEAKER_01 20:50

Well, and you know, I think unfortunately in this current climate, it's hard to reassure people. We're government. So, you know, government's kind of scary at times. But the goal of our department and our mission is keeping people together, keeping people in their homes with support and resources. And that's for all the different services that, you know, our department provides. Um, we want to work together with people so that they have what they need to be successful and be able to thrive in the communities. We're there for support. But how do you convince people of that?

SPEAKER_00 21:29

I I think I think we just show them by the work that we do. I imagine that to an extent people can remain anonymous and be provided resources that are not connected directly with the government agencies, such as some of these other groups that you work with, so they can approach slowly and gain trust.

SPEAKER_01 21:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

That is true.

SPEAKER_01 21:52

Yeah, that's a good point too, because you know, some of our new contacts with grandparents have come through the, for instance, the school social worker or through another person, another avenue. Um, so and that is fine, or they can reach out as an anonymous person over the phone just to gather resources because we want people to have the resources. We're not going to deny them information because they don't want to give us information.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

I'm sure that you just want to meet pay people's basic basic needs. Correct. Well, that's great. Those are all the questions I have for you today. Um, I think the work you're doing is wonderful. I would love to see in the future that all cities and counties across the board meet the needs of especially kinship caregivers that are that are over the age of 55. When you see that people are losing housing when they're genuinely caring for children and trying to give them a better life, it it it doesn't shouldn't be that way, not in this country. Well, thanks, Kristen. Thanks so much for coming on the show. And we'll definitely get this information out to the public. I hope we can reach a lot of people that need this information.

SPEAKER_01 23:05

Thank you so much, and thank you so much for having DuPage County on today and helping us share and spread the word of the great resources that are available.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

So thank you. Good job. Thank you for the work you do. Thank you. If everyone listening would post this on their Facebook page, perhaps we can reach the people that need to hear. There's someone out there in the DuPage County or the Age Guide region of Illinois that could use help with legal aid or school supplies, and that would buy back an hour of soul this week for them. We're trying to build a boardroom of support. We don't have to navigate this 401k drain or legal bottleneck alone. And I hope you'll join us next week for episode 125 with Kate Markland. Kate spent 20 years as a physiotherapist training herself to listen not to symptoms but to the stories beneath them. But her real masterclass in listening began during a court-ordered separation from her son, Gabriel. With only one hour of FaceTime a week, Kate refused to let that hour be defined by grief. Instead, she asked Gabriel, Do you want to be the hero of your own story? So together they created a magical world called Coral Cove, turning their shared hour into a number one Amazon bestseller. Today, Kate takes That same methodology, story quest, into schools and systems across three continents, proving that the blank page isn't a literacy problem, it's a voice problem. She's here to show us how to help our grandchildren take the pen back from the systems that try to silence them. And so the mission continues. We're 2.7 million strong, still nurturing, and still here. We are the ones clearing the administrative clogs, securing legal foundations, and building sanctuaries where the world has looked away. Your heart is the most important asset on the balance sheet, but your knowledge of the safety net is the armor that protects it. Keep nurturing, keep leading, and I'll see you in the next boardroom.